NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS): syllabus, exam pattern & eligibility
NABARD Officers in Grade 'A': Assistant Manager, Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS). Direct recruitment of Assistant Manager in Grade 'A' (Rural Development Banking Service, general and specialist disciplines) in the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the apex development bank for agriculture and rural India. The same advertisement also recruits Assistant Manager (Legal) and Assistant Manager (Protocol & Security Service) through separate schemes.
- Category
- Banking
- Conducted by
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Human Resources Management Department; online tests run through a test-conducting agency whose portal is linked from nabard.org
- Level
- Recruitment
- Frequency
- Once a year, not on a fixed calendar (Phase I was held on 16-10-2023, 01-09-2024 and 20-12-2025)
- Mode
- CBT
- Languages
- English, Hindi
- Application fee
- Rs 700 application fee plus Rs 150 intimation charges (Rs 850, exclusive of GST) for General/OBC/EWS; SC/ST/PwBD pay only the Rs 150 intimation charges. NABARD staff pay and are reimbursed if eligible (Advertisement No. 05/Grade A/2025-26, the latest cycle; non-refundable).
Eligibility
- Education: RDBS (General): Bachelor's degree in any subject with at least 60% aggregate marks (SC/ST/PwBD 55%), OR a Postgraduate degree / MBA / PGDM with at least 55% (SC/ST/PwBD 50%), OR CA / CS / CMA (ICWA), OR Ph.D., from an institution recognised by GoI/UGC. Qualification (final result declared) is needed by the cut-off date 01-11-2025. Specialist disciplines (Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, Finance, Computer/IT, Agriculture Engineering, Plantation & Horticulture, Fisheries, Food Processing, Land Development & Soil Science, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Media Specialist, Economics) each have their own degree requirement in the advertisement. Only one post/discipline may be applied for.
- Age: 21 to 30 years as on 01-11-2025 (born between 02-11-1995 and 01-11-2004). Upper-age relaxation: OBC 3 years; SC/ST (where posts are reserved) and eligible ex-servicemen 5 years; PwBD 10 years (OBC 13, SC/ST 15). No cumulative relaxation.
- Nationality: Indian citizen (the advertisement invites applications from Indian citizens)
Exam pattern
Phase I: Preliminary Examination (RDBS / Legal)
120 min · 200 questions · 200 marks
- Test of Reasoning: 20 questions, 20 marks
- English Language: 30 questions, 30 marks
- Computer Knowledge: 20 questions, 20 marks
- Quantitative Aptitude: 20 questions, 20 marks
- Decision Making: 10 questions, 10 marks
- General Awareness: 20 questions, 20 marks
- Economic & Social Issues (with focus on Rural India): 40 questions, 40 marks
- Agriculture & Rural Development (with emphasis on Rural India): 40 questions, 40 marks
Phase II Paper I: General English (descriptive)
90 min · 3 questions · 100 marks
- General English (writing skills): 3 questions, 100 marks
Phase II Paper II: Economic & Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development (General discipline); stream-specific paper for specialist disciplines
120 min · 34 questions · 100 marks
- Objective part: 30 questions, 50 marks
- Descriptive part: 6 questions, 50 marks
Phase III: Psychometric Test
90 min
Phase IV: Interview (RDBS / Legal)
50 marks
Syllabus
Phase I qualifying tests
Reasoning, English Language, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, Decision Making
Phase I General Awareness
General Awareness
Phase II Paper I: General English
Writing skills
Economic & Social Issues (Phase I merit section and Phase II Paper II, General discipline)
Indian economy and reforms, Poverty, employment, population and agriculture, Social structure and social justice
Agriculture & Rural Development (Phase I merit section and Phase II Paper II, General discipline)
Agriculture, Rural Development
Phase II Paper II: specialist disciplines
Stream-specific syllabus PDFs published for the 2025 cycle: Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, Finance, Computer / Information Technology, Agriculture Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mass Media, Applied Economics, Legal
Important dates (2025-26 (Advertisement No. 05/Grade A/2025-26, latest completed cycle))
- Online application opens: 2025-11-08
- Online application and fee payment close: 2025-11-30
- Phase I (Preliminary) online examination: 2025-12-20
- Phase II (Main) online examination: 2026-01-25
- Psychometric Test notified (test date announced): 2026-02-27
- Phase III Psychometric Test: 2026-03-07
Selection process
Phase I (online objective, shortlists on the 100-mark merit section) -> Phase II (descriptive General English plus ESI & ARD or a stream-specific paper) -> Phase III Psychometric Test (mandatory) -> Phase IV Interview (50 marks). Final merit is Phase II marks plus interview marks, discipline-wise and category-wise; ties go to higher Phase II marks, then higher qualification, then higher graduation marks, then older age. Calling ratio at most 1:25 for Phase II and 1:3 for interview. Biometric data and photograph are captured from Phase II onwards. Selected candidates serve a 2-year probation (extendable by up to one year) and are liable to be posted anywhere in India; starting basic pay is Rs 44,500 per month.
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Frequently asked questions
What is NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS)?
NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS) stands for NABARD Officers in Grade 'A': Assistant Manager, Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS). Direct recruitment of Assistant Manager in Grade 'A' (Rural Development Banking Service, general and specialist disciplines) in the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the apex development bank for agriculture and rural India. The same advertisement also recruits Assistant Manager (Legal) and Assistant Manager (Protocol & Security Service) through separate schemes. It is conducted by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Human Resources Management Department; online tests run through a test-conducting agency whose portal is linked from nabard.org. Level: Recruitment.
Who is eligible for NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS)?
Education: RDBS (General): Bachelor's degree in any subject with at least 60% aggregate marks (SC/ST/PwBD 55%), OR a Postgraduate degree / MBA / PGDM with at least 55% (SC/ST/PwBD 50%), OR CA / CS / CMA (ICWA), OR Ph.D., from an institution recognised by GoI/UGC. Qualification (final result declared) is needed by the cut-off date 01-11-2025. Specialist disciplines (Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, Finance, Computer/IT, Agriculture Engineering, Plantation & Horticulture, Fisheries, Food Processing, Land Development & Soil Science, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Media Specialist, Economics) each have their own degree requirement in the advertisement. Only one post/discipline may be applied for. Age limit: 21 to 30 years as on 01-11-2025 (born between 02-11-1995 and 01-11-2004). Upper-age relaxation: OBC 3 years; SC/ST (where posts are reserved) and eligible ex-servicemen 5 years; PwBD 10 years (OBC 13, SC/ST 15). No cumulative relaxation. Nationality: Indian citizen (the advertisement invites applications from Indian citizens).
What is the exam pattern of NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS)?
Phase I: Preliminary Examination (RDBS / Legal): 120 minutes, 200 questions, 200 marks. Phase II Paper I: General English (descriptive): 90 minutes, 3 questions, 100 marks. Phase II Paper II: Economic & Social Issues and Agriculture & Rural Development (General discipline); stream-specific paper for specialist disciplines: 120 minutes, 34 questions, 100 marks. Phase III: Psychometric Test: 90 minutes. Phase IV: Interview (RDBS / Legal): 50 marks. Mode: CBT.
How often is NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS) held?
Once a year, not on a fixed calendar (Phase I was held on 16-10-2023, 01-09-2024 and 20-12-2025).
When is NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS) held?
2025-26 (Advertisement No. 05/Grade A/2025-26, latest completed cycle) cycle: Online application opens 2025-11-08; Online application and fee payment close 2025-11-30; Phase I (Preliminary) online examination 2025-12-20; Phase II (Main) online examination 2026-01-25; Psychometric Test notified (test date announced) 2026-02-27; Phase III Psychometric Test 2026-03-07.
How are candidates selected through NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS)?
Phase I (online objective, shortlists on the 100-mark merit section) -> Phase II (descriptive General English plus ESI & ARD or a stream-specific paper) -> Phase III Psychometric Test (mandatory) -> Phase IV Interview (50 marks). Final merit is Phase II marks plus interview marks, discipline-wise and category-wise; ties go to higher Phase II marks, then higher qualification, then higher graduation marks, then older age. Calling ratio at most 1:25 for Phase II and 1:3 for interview. Biometric data and photograph are captured from Phase II onwards. Selected candidates serve a 2-year probation (extendable by up to one year) and are liable to be posted anywhere in India; starting basic pay is Rs 44,500 per month.
What is the application fee for NABARD Grade A (Assistant Manager, RDBS)?
Rs 700 application fee plus Rs 150 intimation charges (Rs 850, exclusive of GST) for General/OBC/EWS; SC/ST/PwBD pay only the Rs 150 intimation charges. NABARD staff pay and are reimbursed if eligible (Advertisement No. 05/Grade A/2025-26, the latest cycle; non-refundable).
Compiled from public sources, last checked 2026-10-04. Dates, fees and rules change, so confirm with the official website before you apply.